Our People

He is an experienced political consultant and is proud to be the Chairman of GK Strategy, also serving on the Board.

Robin manages our relationships with the investment community and wider industry stakeholders.

Over the past 10 years at GK, Louise has advised on communications strategies and private equity deals across highly regulated industries and is an industry leader in providing senior political counsel and insights.

He has a strong network of senior political and government stakeholders in London and overseas together with skills in developing and maintaining complex relationships with parliamentary and government audiences around the world.

His cross-sector expertise has been built in senior public affairs and communications roles in-house and in advisory firms.

With over 15 years’ experience, Lizzie leads GK’s political and regulatory due diligence services, providing senior counsel to investors and management teams on the impact of political change on investment decisions.

Lizzie advises clients on policy risk, pre- and post-transaction strategy and corporate messaging, and has advised some of the world’s largest investors.

Emma started life at GK as an intern but has risen up to lead on our new business targets
and advocacy team on a wide variety of clients, as well as representing us on industry
bodies.

Between 2001 and 2015, David served as the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Yeovil. He held various senior frontbench positions for the party in Parliament, including as its spokesperson on schools, children and families, before joining the cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury in the Coalition Government. From 2012 to 2015.

David was the Minister of State for Schools in the Department for Education. David has served as Executive Chairman of the Education Policy Institute and the Education Partnerships Group.

He was Member of Parliament for Winchester from 2010-2024 and served in Government as a Whip, Public Health Minister and chaired the influential Health and Social Care Select Committee.

Steve’s main interests include primary care, public health, NHS leadership and prevention of ill health as well as HIV, health tech and cancer.

He also co-hosts the successful ‘Prevention is the new cure’ podcast and lives in Hampshire. He now works in the private sector as a health advisor and speaker and is a charity trustee.

Phil works with the GK team on all matters health and social care, including providing strategic support to investors during the investment process. While Care Services Minister, his work included development of the National Care Service White Paper, the National Dementia Strategy, the National Mental Health Strategy, and the National Autism Strategy. As an adjunct professor at Imperial College’s Global Health Institute, Phil continues to have strong relationships with leading healthcare stakeholders.

Phil is also a Director of a cross-party health Commission which is focused on Health Devolution. Furthermore, Phil helps GK clients through providing strategic advice and sharing his experiences of policy making within the Labour Party.

As Skills Minister, Rob oversaw a significant boost in apprenticeships with a new UCAS service and launched the Skills for Life campaign to encourage more employers to take on apprentices. He also scrapped the cap on the number of apprentices an SME can employ to maximise opportunities across the country, tripled the Care Leaver Bursary and brought through the legislation to establish the Lifelong Learning Entitlement to revolutionise student finance to suit the needs of students and employers.

As a Minister, MP and Chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee Rob was also a vocal advocate for prison education, SEND, careers advice and guidance, and actively spoke out against school closures, holding the Government to account over the Covid-19 catch-up programme.

John brings additional experience in financial services from his prior career as UK Chairman and Senior Partner at KPMG. John is a strategic advisor at GK.

Over the last 30 years, Tim has worked extensively in the private equity world, including for 3i Plc, Royal Bank Private Equity, LDC and Palatine.

Tim is also a former Chair of the British Venture Capital Association.

He has worked across a variety of sectors, with particular experience in technology and financial services, and has experience of advising some of the world’s largest companies on their public affairs and political engagement strategies.

Working with our Insight team to provide counsel to investors and management teams on the impact of political and regulatory change.

Thea has over a decade’s experience undertaking complex policy research, both from within and outside of Parliament. She has guided politicians and investors throughout numerous rounds of Brexit negotiations, three general elections and the COVID pandemic.

David joined the team in summer 2023 and has worked with companies in emerging industries, helping to shape their regulatory regimes, to supporting blue chip companies deliver policy changes, David has experience in sectors ranging from FMCG, energy and financial services.

Bringing expertise in planning communications and political engagement for major infrastructure, housing and energy projects at both Westminster and local government level.

Sam’s political experience also extends to running for local councillor for the Labour Party in May 2021. Sam now supports several projects across health, education, energy and financial services, providing research, political analysis and strategic communications support to clients.

Hugo joined GK Strategy from the Policy Research Unit, a Westminster-based pooled research facility for Conservative MPs, in December 2022.

While at the Policy Research Unit, he briefed Conservative MPs and their staff on policy related to home affairs, defence and DCMS, as well as provided correspondence support.

Previously, Hugo worked at another public affairs agency where he focused on renewable energy projects and financing nuclear power stations.

Josh joined GK’s Insight team after working as an analyst for a venture capital advisory firm, focusing on the development of Fintech and Regtech applications.

He has also worked for the APPG for BAME Business Owners to facilitate collaboration on policy matters between ethnic minority led businesses and parliamentarians.

Josh works across a range of political due diligence projects – providing counsel on private equity deals in regulated sectors such as consumer finance and social care.

Before joining GK Strategy, Sophie was responsible for implementing campaigns and advising on strategy at a leading communications and public affairs agency in London.

She has worked with some of the world’s largest companies across a variety of sectors, from financial and professional services to hospitality, and has curated a particular expertise in issues related to sustainability and ESG.

James joined GK Strategy in October 2024, and leverages his experience at a leading Westminster think tank and time as a staffer in Parliament, bringing experience to the GK Insights team. James previously worked at another public affairs consultancy delivering client outcomes and supporting business growth opportunities in the transition to EVs and deployment of EV charging infrastructure amongst others.

Prior to this, James was a Research Fellow at Policy Exchange and Junior Secretary to a then Cabinet Minister. He holds an MA in Political Economy of the Middle East from King’s College London and BA in Politics from Durham University.

Lauren joined GK Strategy from a political intelligence company where she was responsible for several clients, helping them understand the political landscape primarily focusing on tech and telecoms policy.

She also serves on the editorial board of a foreign policy think in her spare time.

Lauren holds a BSC in Politics and International Relations from the University of Bath.

She joined GK Strategy in November 2022 and supports our public affairs and communications work across a range of sectors.

Noureen has previously completed an internship at I have a Voice (IHAV) as a Policy and Public Affairs Assistant. She is also part of the IHAV Youth Ambassador programme and is currently working on the ‘Politics for All’ campaign, a movement  seeking to make political literacy accessible for all young people.

Noureen has a BA in Politics and International Relations from the University of East London.

Whilst completing her BSc in Politics and International Relations at the University of Bristol, she was an ambassador for IHAV, co-founding an anti-fast fashion campaign and organising events.

In her final year of studies, she led communications and outreach for a foreign policy think tank, hosting roundtable events and policy masterclasses.

Annabelle now works across GK’s Advocacy clients including in the creative industries and financial and professional services sectors.

Arth initially joined GK Strategy as an intern in the summer of 2024 and has interned previously with a strategic communications firm focusing on education and apprenticeship policy.

He has also worked on projects with the Peterloo Institute as well as engaging with multiple other cross-party think tanks. His main interests include education policy, skills as well as understanding UK’s wider relationship with other emerging economies.

Arth holds a BSC in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Manchester and alongside his role at GK Strategy is currently pursuing a MSC in Political Economy of Emerging Markets from King’s College London.